"Obamacare is bad law constitutionally, bad policy, and it is bad for America's families," said Mitt Romney Saturday to New Hampshire Republicans. Corbis

March 7, 2011

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In a speech Saturday night in the key early primary state of New Hampshire, Mitt Romney called for the repeal of President Obama's health care reform law. The attack offered a likely preview of the 2012 presidential campaign, for which Romney is a potential GOP nominee. But health reform is a tricky subject for him, because the federal law, which has become Public Enemy No. 1 for many on the right, was largely modeled on reforms Romney put in place in Massachusetts, when he was governor. Can he get away with attacking "ObamaCare" while defending "RomneyCare"? (Watch a local report about Romney's comments)

This issue will hurt Romney, no matter what: The damage is done, says Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. Romney's health care reform law in Massachusetts is Exhibit A for those Republicans who don't think Romney has "deeply held conservative beliefs." He threw them a bone by saying his plan "wasn't perfect." But in the primary campaign he'll have to explain how a man who claims to be a champion of free enterprise can turn around and say the state should "micromanage" personal health insurance. "Republican voters will, I think, be skeptical.""Romney address his RomneyCare problem"